The forging of an agreement at the Cop27 climate change summit in Egypt to set up a loss and damage fund to support poorer nations for the harm caused by climate change is a significant milestone.
It is more than three decades since the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, representing other vulnerable island nations, introduced loss and damage to UN climate negotiations.
Agreement has been so slow in the making in part because developed nations, worried by the prospect of an enormous bill and legal liabilities, have been reluctant to address issues related to compensation.
What is loss and damage?
Loss and damage refers to the harmful effects of climate change, both economic (including damage to infrastructure or crops) and non-economic (including loss of life and biodiversity), that cannot be prevented through mitigation or dealt with by adaptation to a changing climate.
It results from both extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, storms or heavy rainfall, and slow-onset climatic changes, including sea level rises, the acidification of seas, and desertification.
Attributing harm to climate change can be difficult, but organisations such as the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment have noted that there has been much progress in the field of “attribution science”.
The damaging effects of climate change are diverse and reflect the complexity of how greenhouse gases affect the climate.
As an example, they include changes to tuna migration patterns in the Pacific that, the London think tank Chatham House has reported, could reduce government revenue in island states there by $140 million a year.
Another example are the recent floods in Pakistan, thought to have been made more severe because of climate change. These cost more than 1,700 lives, destroyed more than two million homes and caused damage estimated at $40 billion in total.
Who should foot the bill?
Developed nations have historically been the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, so are often seen as being under an obligation to support developing nations, most of which have contributed much less to climate change.
The Centre for Global Development has said that 79 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions released between 1850 and 2011 came from developed nations.
The US alone accounts for about one fifth of the 2.504 gigatonnes of CO2 released between 1850 and 2021.
However, while China is often still considered a developing country, it is the second-biggest cumulative emitter, having released 0.284 gigatonnes of CO2. In recent negotiations, the EU has argued that China should contribute to loss and damage compensation.
Africa as a whole is responsible for less than 4 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions over time.
A country’s per capita rather than absolute emissions are also an important consideration, while some academics have suggested that recent emissions, coming when the effects of climate change are well known, should count for more when determining responsibility.
Loss and damage compensation typically refers to present-day harm, but some have argued that there should also be climate reparations — from corporations as well as countries — to reflect liability for past harm.
How much could loss and damage cost?
Until now, the states that are suffering the worst effects of climate change have been faced with covering the costs of loss and damage themselves.
Estimates suggest that the V20 nations — the Vulnerable Twenty Group of countries that face severe impacts yet find it difficult to deal with them — have experienced losses of more than half a trillion dollars during the past two decades. As climate change’s effects become more severe, the bill is set to soar.
“Depending on the extent of global efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change, loss and damage from climate change that goes beyond adaptation could cost developing countries a total of $290 billion to $580 billion in 2030 and reach $1 trillion to $1.8 trillion in 2050,” the Grantham Institute said, citing UN figures.
A UN-backed report, Finance for Climate Action, released earlier this month, said that developing nations excluding China would need $2 trillion a year to deal with climate change.
But a previous target for developed nations to provide a fraction of this, $100 billion a year, has been missed, highlighting the difficulties in securing funds for loss and damage.
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
The%20Roundup
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
The%20specs
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
ARM%20IPO%20DETAILS
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Brief scores
Barcelona 2
Pique 36', Alena 87'
Villarreal 0
Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
SPEC%20SHEET
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test India won by innings and 53 runs at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
BIO
Favourite holiday destination: Turkey - because the government look after animals so well there.
Favourite film: I love scary movies. I have so many favourites but The Ring stands out.
Favourite book: The Lord of the Rings. I didn’t like the movies but I loved the books.
Favourite colour: Black.
Favourite music: Hard rock. I actually also perform as a rock DJ in Dubai.
Stormy seas
Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.
We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.